The Experiment
by lightsthecity
Summary: The plan: Ask Sonny to dance at the Gala to gage her cast's reaction to the possibility of their being a couple. If all goes well, then everything will be much easier when their experiment becomes a reality. Oneshot.


_AN: Takes place between Falling for the Falls part 1 and part 2, ish. (Okay, wasn't FftF pt 2 the cutest thing you've ever seen?)_

_I own nothing. _

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**the experiment**

* * *

"So, Sonny. Are you bringing anyone to the premiere tonight?" Tawni asks as she applies her mascara.

Sonny avoids eye contact with the blond across from her, "Nope. Going by myself to this one."

"Good, me too. Being single is all the rage right now."

"Is it?" Sonny smiles, relieved that Tawni didn't catch her lie.

Tonight was not Sonny and Chad's first date, it was more of an experiment. The plan was for Chad to ask Sonny to dance at the Gala following the premiere, to gage her cast's reaction to the possibility of their being a couple. If all goes well, then everything will be much easier when the inevitable happens and their experiment becomes a reality.

Tawni stands up, "_Totally_. Let's go, Marshall said the limo would be here at 7."

"It's 7:15!" Sonny shoots out of her chair, too anxiously.

"Woah, calm down, girl. It's called being fashionably late."

:|:|:

Tawni and the rest of the cast walk down the red carpet, stopping every few steps to take a photo for the press.

"Sonny," a familiar voice greets between shots of the So Random! cast.

Her smile grows, "Hey, Chad."

"You look great," he says, cheeks slightly pink.

"Thanks, so do you."

"It's all natural," he lies easily.

Her cast is calling her to come take pictures with them, so she decides that now is as good a time as any to start the experiment. "Come take a photo with us."

"And be seen with Randoms? No thanks."

She hides her anger, giving him one more chance, "For me?"

He sighs, and his inner CDC is yelling _no, no, no_, but there's just something about this girl that makes him ignore it, "Fine, but just one."

Her thousand-watt grin is back immediately, "Great!"

They walk over to Tawni, Nico, Grady and Zora. Nico is the first to speak, "What is Chip Drama Pants doing here?"

Grady follows, "This is a drama-free zone. He's not allowed."

"Come on, guys!" Sonny tries, "Can't we just have peace for _one _picture?"

Grady grumbles, "Fine, but only because you did -"

Nico cuts him off, "_Helped _us with our science projects."

"Let's keep this moving! Tawni Hart needs to be on the cover of as many magazines as possible!" Tawni shouts over Nico and Grady.

The photographer motions for them to move closer together, "Say So Random!"

Chad's cry of "Mackenzie Falls!" starts another argument between the comedians, but Sonny decides that this spontaneous test was at least semi-successful. It's a start.

:|:|:

Sonny and Chad run into each other at the desert table at the Gala after the premiere. Chad finishes off his punch and Sonny swallows her truffle.

"My lady?"

She grins, "Yes?"

"It's time to dance with the Chadster. Are you ready?"

"I don't know... I've never danced with someone who refers to himself as the _Chadster_."

"Anything's acceptable when you're _this_ good looking, Sonny," he winks.

"Well, then why aren't we dancing yet?"

"Good question."

He grabs her hand and leads her to the dance floor. She wraps her arms around his neck and he holds onto her waist and they're both very glad it's a slow song.

:|:|:

"Woah, woah, _woah_!" Zora shouts across the table at her cast-mates, "What's going on there?"

"Where?" Nico and Grady respond at the same time, looking everywhere but the couple on the dancefloor.

"There, dimwits!" She stands behind them, turning their heads towards Sonny and Chad.

Tawni looks up momentarily from her compact mirror, "This cannot be happening."

Zora strokes her chin in thought, "Hm. First, she made Chad join our picture, and now they're dancing together? Something's going on."

Nico gasps, "Sonny's _dating _Chip!"

The entire table gasps loudly. Tawni's the first to break the pause, "Oh, no. She is _not_ stealing my publicity."

"We have bigger concerns than that!" Zora starts but is cut off by Tawni.

"_Excuse_ me!"

"Okay, everyone calm down. She's betrayed us all, and we need to find out if there is another explanation for this," Zora finishes over Tawni's cries.

:|:|:

Sonny looks up into Chad's blue eyes, "This is nice."

He pulls her slightly closer, "Of course it is. I'm Chad Dylan Cooper." Before she can respond, he brings them back to the main reason of their dance, "How is your cast taking it?"

"I don't know, I haven't seen..." her eyes widen when she sees four angry teenagers approaching them.

"Explain. Immediately." Zora demands, arms folded.

Sonny's voice falters slightly, "W-well..."

Before she continue, Grady interrupts, "I knew it!"

Nico finishes, "You're dating Pooper!"

Chad jumps out of Sonny's arms, "What? Uh, no she isn't!"

"Yeah! Nothing is going on here, guys," Sonny tries, her voice going up an octave.

Tawni looks sternly between the two stars, her eyes lighting up, "His tie is green!"

Six pairs of eyes turn to look at her, "What?"

"They're not dating!" Tawni says smugly.

"How do you know?" Zora inquires.

"This is a formal event. If they were dating they would have matched; but her dress is purple and his tie is green. Bleh - those colors do not match!"

Zora raises an eyebrow, "What if they didn't know to coordinate?"

Tawni smiles, "I may not like Chad Dylan Cooper here, but he definitely knows how to dress at Hollywood events."

"True," Chad affirms.

"So they're not dating... but that still doesn't explain why they're dancing?" Grady adds.

"Uh," Sonny tries to smile, thinking fast, "Mr. Condor ordered us to dance, just to show some companionship between the top two shows."

"Are we buying this, guys?" Zora turns to the others.

"I guess..." Nico and Grady shrug.

"For now," Tawni agrees, "As long as you don't take my magazine cover."

They walk away, and Sonny and Chad are left confused and speechless.

Unsure of what to say, Sonny smirks, "So, how come we didn't coordinate?"

"You weren't _officially_ my date today."

She nods, "Fair enough."

"But next time you will be, so text me the night before so I can pick the right tie. I'd go change now, but I think your cast would kill us."

This experiment was definitely not a success, but that didn't mean she wasn't happy. So she laughs, and wraps her arms around his neck for another dance. "I think you're probably right."

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**Ah. Sorry if it got out of character, but in Falling for the Falls Sonny and Chad were just too cute. I couldn't help myself, sorry.**

**Please review! :)**


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